Lawn-swing.



Patntedv July 9, 190|.

o.v n. oLsoN. LAWN SWING.

(Applatian led Oct. 4, 1900.)

(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet l.

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No. .s7a,|92.

0. R. OLSON. LAWN SWING.

(Application med Oct. 4, 1900.)

Patented July 9, i901.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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UNTTED STATES PATENT Ormes.

OLOF R. OLSON, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN W. OLSON, OF SAME PLACE.

LAWN-SWING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 678,192', dated July 9, 1901.

vApplication filed October 4, 1900. Serial No. 31,'970. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, OLOB` R. OLSON, a citi- Zen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, Jackson county, Missouri, have invented a new and useful Lawn-Swing, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to lawn-swings; and

one object is to produce a swing of this char-v acter capable of movement from fixed centers or axes to `give the usual scope of movement or from movable centers or axes to give a more extended movement.

A further object is the provision of a swing capable of the usual or more extended movement of simple, strong, durable, and comparatively cheap construction.

Vith these and other objects in view the invention consists in certain novel and peculiar features of construction and combinations of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed, and in order that it may be fully understood reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a lawn-swing embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents atop plan view of the same. Fig. 3 represents an enlarged vertical section of one of the upper corner portions of the structure. Fig. 4 is a vertical section showing the connection between the swing bars and seats and the construction whereby the seat is permitted a slight independent oscillation on the swingframe.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 1 designates a base or platform of the construction shown or of any other suitable type,"and 2 brackets rigidly secured to said base and providing a pivotal support for the corner-standards 3, the standards at corresponding ends converging upwardly by preference. (See Fig. 2.) Connecting the laterally opposite standards in pairs are cross-rods 4, engaged at opposite sides of the standards by retaining-nuts 5, and pivotally connecting the longitudinally opposite standards are arches 6, the same comprising inverted- U-shaped center portions and horizontal arms terminating in hooks 7, which embrace the outer and inner sides of standards 3 between the latter and nuts 5 and are pivoted on and` supported by the cross-rods 4. By thus bending the ends ofthe arches to form the hooks 7 a more extended, and consequently substantial, bearing ,is effected on rods 4, and in this connection it may be stated that in lieu of the rods 4 short bolts may obviously be employed to pivotally connect said hooks and standards,

the heads of the bolts serving the purpose of the inner nuts 5.

The arches 6 are braced by tie-rods 8 or by 6o equivalent means and are connected at opposite sides of and equal distances from their centers by cross-rods 9, engaged by clampingnuts 10 at the outer and inner sides of the arches, the horizontal plane of rods 9 being 65 some distance above that of rods 4 for a purpose'which hereinafter appears.

11 designates swing-bars, the same being preferably twisted at their upper ends andl bent to form downwardly-disposed hooks 12, 7o pivotally embracing cross-rods 9 between the arches, and this connection is made secure by the use of springcotters 13, extending through the hooks below the rods, because the bars have a tendency to push upward when in operation. This peculiar style of pivotal cone nectionl is preferred because it gives a wide and extended bearing on the cross-rods, and therefore is more reliable than if the bars were provided. with holes to receive the rods. 8o

The lower ends of the swing-bars 11 are connected by cross-rods 14, engaged by clamp,- ing-nuts 15 at the inner and outer sides .of the bars, and mounted upon said rods be g tween thepbars are brackets 16, supporting a curved foot-platform bridging the space between and projecting beyond the bars, said platform consisting of the curved rails 17 and the foot-boards 18, connecting said rails.

19 designates cross-rods connecting the 9o ends of said rails, and 20 seats pivoted on said rods and provided with rods 21, terminating in loops or eyes 22, slidingly embracing rods 23, mounted in cross-bars 24 of rails 17, spiral expansion-springs 25, mountedupon rods 23, being interposed between said crossbars and said loops and tending to hold the latter midway between the bars, the arrangement being such that the seats oscillate slightly upon rods 19 when the swing is in roo operation, the springs alternately acting as a yielding or resilient cushion to eliminate the disagreeable shock or 'jar which would occur if the seats were permitted to oscillate between rigid stops without the interposition of cushions, and in order to give added purchase in the manipulation of the swing the bars ll are provided with handles 26, the occupant of one of the seats reaching over and grasping the handles attached to the swingbars adjacent to the opposite seat and alterternately pulling and pushing thereon.

27 designates cross rods connecting the laterally-opposite standards 3 at equal distances from their pivotal points, and 28 clamping-nuts engaging said rods at the outer and inner sides of the standards. These rods 27 and nuts 2S may, if desired, be transferred to the top of the standards; but I prefer to employ an additional set of cross-rods and nuts at such point, these being numbered 29 and 30, respectively, and arranged in abut the same horizontal plane as cross-rods 9 and clamping-nuts l0 of arches 6.

3l designates cross-rods connecting swingbars l1 at equal distances from their axes or centers of movement, and 32 clamping-.nuts engaging said rods at the inner and outer sides of said bars.

A pair of links to effect a pivotal connection between the standards and swing-bars or to connect the standards rigidly to the swingbar-supporting structure each preferably consists of sheet-metal4 side bars 33 and a connecting cross-bar 34, the ends of the side bars being twisted, as at 35, and bent to form approximately semicircular caps 36, and pivoted to and forming a part of said links are plates 37, adapted to underlie the portions 35 and close the open side of caps 36, said plates terminating in depending handle portions 3S for convenience of manipulation before the spring-cotters 39 are employed to secure the free ends of the plates rigidly under the portions 35 or after said cotters are withdrawn, as shown most clearly in Fig. 3.

Vhen it is desired to operate the swing at its greatest capacity for movement, the links are employed to connect the cross-rods 27 with cross-rods 3l, the caps 3G being fitted upon said rods and the plates 37 swung around to bridge the under side. The spring-cotters 39 are then employed to secure the plates reliably in such position, so as to eliminate all chance of accidental disengagement of thev links with said cross-rods. When thus arranged, it is obvious that the operation of the swing in one direction exerts a pull in that direction on standards 3 through the medium of links 33, and as a result movement in the same direction is imparted to the centers or axes from which the swing-bars are suspended, this movement increasing the distance which the swing travels, as indicated clearly by dotted lines, Fig. l. It has been found in practice that the action of the swing with the links thus arranged is accelerated and made more positive by connecting the arches with standards 3 by means of retractile springs 40, said springs beinghooked at their opposite ends to the similar plates 4l 42, secured to the standards, the speed of action being varied by the engagement of said springs with one set or another of the hook-arms 43 of said plates. By referring to the drawings it will be understood that when the swing is at either limit of its movement one set of the springs is extended, and therefore in position to retractimmediately and give a decided impetus to the return movement, the speed being practically uniform throughout, because the force of the springs decreases as the momentum increases. lf the seats were unoccupied and the springs dispensed with, there would be no danger of collapse, because the swing-bars, except when vertical or linked to the standards centrally between the planes of rods 4 and 9, as hereinafter referred to, invariably extend at a greater angle to the perpendicular than the standards,and therefore, assuming their gravitative force to be equal to that of the standards, have an overpoweringtendency to swing back to their original position. In practice the swing-bars and seats exert considerable more gravitative force than the standards,and to this should be added the weight of the occupant or occupants.

From the fact that increase of weight on the swing-bars can never render the speed uniform it is always desirable to employ the springs 40 or equivalents thereof, thoughin order to utilize weight to the best advantage it is necessary to locate the linked cross-rods 27 3l nearer the plane of the upper rod 9, this arrangement insuring a greater range of movement of the swing-bars than the standards, and consequently a descending movement of the seats from each side until the center of gravity is reached. The fact that the decrease of distance between the linked rods and rod 9 relativelyincreascs the distance of movement of the swing-bars makes it obvious that springs of proportionately less power may be employed. By locating the said linked cross-rods centrally between the horizontal planes of rods 4 and 9 a horizontal movement isimparted to the seats, this being so because the swing-bars and standards will invariably extend at the same angle, though in opposite directions from the perpendicular. In this case, assuming gravitative force to be equal, it is obvious that the excessive weight on the seats is the sole means for returning the swing-bars and standards to a perpendicular position and that springs to facilitate and equalize the action are almost indispensable. It will also be understood that by locating the hinge connections of the links nearer the plane of cross-rods 4 than of cross-rods 9 the seat can be caused to ascend as it approaches the center of gravity and descend as it recedes therefrom, which is a very novel movement in swings. In this case, however, it is necessary to use very powerful springs, as they must be strong enough to raise the weight of the occupants IOO IIO

and the seat, as well as cause the standards and swing-bars to resume their upright positions.

When it is desired to operate the swing in (see Fig. 3,) the framework is perfectly rigid,

the springs 40 funetionless,'and the swingbars 1l suspended from the now rigid crossrods 9, as will be readily understood. The entire framework, except the seats and platform or base, is preferably made of bar iron or steel of as light weight as possible consistent with the strength required.

From the above description it will be apparentnthat I have produced a lawn-swing embodying the features of advantagey enumerated as desirable in the statement of invention, and whileI have illustrated and described its lpreferred embodiment it is susceptible of various modifications as regards its form, proportion, det-ail construction, and

` arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope or `sacrificing any of its advantages.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a lawn-swing, the combination of pivoted standards arranged in pairs, a frame pivotally connecting saidstandards, swing-bars suspended from said frame, Yand pivotally linked to the contiguous pair of said standards above the point of connection with the latter of said frame, and provided with a seat, substantially as described.

2. In a lawn-swin g, the combination of pi voted standards arranged in pairs, a frame piv otally connecting said standards, and a dou-l ble set of swing-bars suspended from said` frame so as to swing together, and provided with a seat, and pivotally linked to One or both pairs of standards above the point or points of connection of the latter with said frame, substantially as described.

3. ,In a lawn-swing, the combination of pivoted standards arranged transversely in pairs, a frame pivotally connecting said pairs of lstandards below their upper ends, a double set of swing-bars suspended from said frame above the point of connection of the latter with the standards and provided with a seat, and connected so as to swing together, a link pivotallyconnecting one of said sets with the contiguous standards above the point of connection therewith of said frarne and a retractile spring connecting said standards and said frame above their point ot' connection, substantially as described.

4. In a lawn-swing, the combination of pivoted standards, rods connecting the same transversely in pairs, frames pivotally connecting the standards longitudinally in pairs,

cross-rods connecting said frames above the point of connection of the latter with the standards, a link connecting contiguous crossrods of said frames with the cross-rod of the contiguous pair of standards, and swing-bars suspended from the said cross-rod of the .frames and provided with a seat, substantially as described.

5. In a lawn-swing, the combination of pivotally-supported cornerstandards, a frame pivotally mounted on and connecting said standards, swing-bars pivotally suspended from said frame and provided with a seat, and a link pivotally connecting the adjacent standards with the swing-bars below the pivotal point of the latter, substantially as described.

6. In a lawn-swing, the combination of pivotally-supported corner-standards, a frame pivotally mounted on and connecting said -standards, swing-bars pivotally suspendedfrom said frame and provided with a seat, a

link pivotally connecting the adjacent stand' ards with the swing-bars below the pivotal point of the latter, and retractile springs connecting the'standards and the frame supported thereby, substantially as described.

7. In alawn-swing, the combination of suitably pivoted standards, a frame pivotally connecting said standards, swing-bars pivotally suspended from said frame and provided with a seat, a link pivotally connecting the adjacent standards with the swing-bars below the pivotal point of connection of the latter and the frame, plates secured to the frame and the standards and 1provided with vertical series of hooks, and springs engaging at their opposite ends, hooks of the plates secured tothe frame and hooks of the plates secured to the standards, substantially as described.

j 8. In a lawn-swing, the combination of pivotally-supported corner-standards, a frame pivotally mounted on and connecting said standards, swingbars pivotally suspended from said frame and provided with a seat, and a detachable link pivotally connecting the swing-bars with the adjacent standards, substantially as described. t

IOO

IIC

9. In a lawn-swing, the combination of corner-standards pivotally supported, a cross-l rod connecting the laterally opposite stand` 'ards in pairs, frames pivotally connecting the longitudinally opposite standards in pairs,

swing-bars pivotally suspended from said.

frames and provided with a seat, cross-rods connecting said swing-bars, and links connecting the cross-rods of the standards with the adjacent cross-rods of the swing-bars, substantially as described.

l0. In a lawn-swing, the combination of corner-standards pivotally supported, a cross-l rod connecting the laterally opposite standaards in pairs, frames pivotally connecting the longitudinally opposite standardsin pairs, swing-bars pivotally suspended from said frames and provided with a seat, cross-rods connecting said swing-bars, links connecting the standards with the swing-bars, and embodying caps to engage the cross-rods, and.

pivoted plates to underlie the cross-rods, and means for accelerating the initial movement 0f the swing in each direction, substantially as described.

l1. In a lawn-swing, the combination of swing-bars pivotally suspended, a platform at their lower ends, an oscillatoryseat mounted upon the platform, cross-bars secured to the platform, a rod connecting the same, an arm secured to the seat and slidingly engaging said rod, and springs interposed between said arm and said cross-bars, for the purpose set forth.

l2. In a lawn-swing, the combination of suitable pivoted standards, a frame pivotally connecting the longitudinally-aimed sets of standards, swing-bars pivoted or hinged to said frame above the plane of the pivotal connection of the latter with said standards, and provided with a seat, and a link pivotally connecting said standards and said swingbars between the planes represented by the pivotal connection of the swing-bars with the connection of the latter with said standards,

and provided with a seat, a link pivotally connecting said standards and said swingbars between the planes represented by the pivotal connection of the swing-bars With the frame and the pivotal connection of the frame with the standards, and springs connecting said frame and standards to assist in effecting the return of the seat from each limit of movement, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

OLOF R. OLSON. Witnesses:

H. C. RoDeERs, G. Y. THORPE. 

